I have tried it all: sugar busting, protein loading, cabbage soup guzzling -- even fruit juice detoxing. Sure, weight came off, but my food issues always remained. I grew accustomed to the cycle of dieting, weight loss, overeating to compensate for the deprivation, and then gaining it all back again.

Finally, I decided to say goodbye to fat-burning fads. I was still struggling with my "emotional eating" habit when I discovered a promising new tool in weight management: mindfulness. It all boils down to focusing on the present moment and paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Studies under way, funded by the National Institutes of Health, are showing that mindfulness training can help you lose weight by regulating eating patterns, decreasing binges, and increasing insulin sensitivity (which helps you metabolize your food faster).

Intrigued, I spoke with the experts, who recommended the following step-by-step plan. Now, two months later, I'm 8 pounds lighter and feeling great. Try these seven tips and you too can live fad diet free.